The push to axe Australia Day in NSW, led by the Greens and supported in part by Sydney Lord Mayor Clover Moore, has also been strongly criticised by Local Government Minister Gabrielle Upton who dismissed the attempt to "rewrite history".

Blacktown indigenous elder Gordon Workman bluntly described moves to scrap or move the day as divisive nonsense.

"Changing the date ain't going to change history," said the former president of the Darug Tribal Corporation.

"If a few people out there want to big note themselves they're welcome, but to me it's ridiculous."